Depending on the cause, your condition may be diagnosed and/or monitored using other tests such as calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, or bone markers (a group of tests used to measure bone formation and bone resorption).
Because the flu vaccine is produced by private manufacturers, its availability depends on when production is completed. For the 2015-2016 flu season, manufacturers have indicated shipments are likely to begin in July or August and continue throughout September and October until all vaccine is distributed. Doctors and nurses are encouraged to begin vaccinating people as soon as flu vaccine is available in their areas.
The start of flu season is still weeks or months away, but you can get a flu shot now at many pharmacies. It's a way to get people into the store to buy other things, says Tom Charland, an analyst who tracks the walk-in clinic industry. Darron Cummings/AP. toggle caption.